What do you think?
Rate this book
Beyond Fear
Imagine if your worst fears came true . . . again.
At seventeen, Jodie Cramer survived a terrifying assault at the hands of three strangers. Her schoolmate Angie was not so lucky.
Now thirty-five, Jodie is a teacher and mother of two - and her past is a horror she's buried deep. When she sets out for a weekend in the country with three friends, all she has in mind are a few laughs and a break from routine.
However, unknown to the four women, their secluded cabin was once the focus of a police investigation and, like Jodie, holds a very dark secret.
When Jodie finds evidence of prowlers at the cabin, she is convinced they are being watched, though none of her friends believe her. And after suffering flashbacks to the night of Angie's murder, she also starts to doubt her own sanity.
Until two men come knocking at their door.
At seventeen, Jodie Cramer survived a terrifying assault at the hands of three strangers. Her schoolmate Angie was not so lucky.
Now thirty-five, Jodie is a teacher and mother of two - and her past is a horror she's buried deep. When she sets out for a weekend in the country with three friends, all she has in mind are a few laughs and a break from routine.
However, unknown to the four women, their secluded cabin was once the focus of a police investigation and, like Jodie, holds a very dark secret.
When Jodie finds evidence of prowlers at the cabin, she is convinced they are being watched, though none of her friends believe her. And after suffering flashbacks to the night of Angie's murder, she also starts to doubt her own sanity.
Until two men come knocking at their door.
422 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
44 people are currently reading
622 people want to read
About the author
Jaye Ford
11 books161 followersJaye is the award winning and bestselling Australian author of five psychological thrillers. Her first novel, Beyond Fear, was the highest selling debut crime novel in Australia in 2011 and won two Davitt Awards for Best Debut and Readers’ Choice. Her books have been translated into nine languages and are now available everywhere.
Jaye loves to thrust ordinary women into extraordinary circumstances and make them dig deep to survive. Her thrillers are set in the Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia, where she lives (and loves to turn into crime scenes).
When she’s not writing, she’s interviewing other authors in libraries and at writers festivals, running writing masterclasses and talking to readers. Occasionally she needs a break from the dark stuff and writes romantic comedy under the pen name Janette Paul.
Before turning to fiction, Jaye was news and sport journalist, becoming the first woman to host a live national sport show on Australian TV, and later ran her own PR consultancy.
Sign up to her newsletter for a free copy of her novella Already Gone, plus giveaways, author interviews and sneak peeks of upcoming releases. https://bit.ly/2R4SRPJ
Jaye loves to thrust ordinary women into extraordinary circumstances and make them dig deep to survive. Her thrillers are set in the Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia, where she lives (and loves to turn into crime scenes).
When she’s not writing, she’s interviewing other authors in libraries and at writers festivals, running writing masterclasses and talking to readers. Occasionally she needs a break from the dark stuff and writes romantic comedy under the pen name Janette Paul.
Before turning to fiction, Jaye was news and sport journalist, becoming the first woman to host a live national sport show on Australian TV, and later ran her own PR consultancy.
Sign up to her newsletter for a free copy of her novella Already Gone, plus giveaways, author interviews and sneak peeks of upcoming releases. https://bit.ly/2R4SRPJ
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
May 11, 2017
Update, post reading day. I have just upgraded this from 4 stars to 5. Makes sense, really!! Also added it to my favourites shelf.
My reads are always extra enjoyable when I read local authors in local settings. This new to me author is based not far from Sydney, and she writes about the lush areas in the vicinity of Newcastle and Dungog. I love reading about these areas as it doesn’t happen too often.
I’ve found a new author! I love when that happens. I now have a lot to look forward to. This is Jaye Ford’s debut novel, and there is nothing ‘debut-ish’ about this book. It was easy to read, easy to relate to (a group of four mums heading off for a north bound weekend away) and easy to get wrapped up in. This was edge of your seat stuff.
These four life-loving fun girls did not have the best luck starting off with their kid-free, husband-free weekend. A near miss serious accident on a Friday night in the pitch black and freezing cold area an hour north of Sydney steam rolls a weekend of disaster. They are lucky to have Jodie, strong PE High School teacher with dark secrets of her own, as the leader of their pack.
I carried on with my usual ‘can’t wait to get to the end’ type behaviour last night, not sure if it was my impatience or if it lagged that last third. I suspect it was the former as I read the book in a day. Thriller lovers and readers of all things Australian will love this book, she’s an author to get to know, and has reached my ‘go-to’ select group. Can’t wait for more. Brilliant writing and one that will suck you in right from the get-go!
My reads are always extra enjoyable when I read local authors in local settings. This new to me author is based not far from Sydney, and she writes about the lush areas in the vicinity of Newcastle and Dungog. I love reading about these areas as it doesn’t happen too often.
I’ve found a new author! I love when that happens. I now have a lot to look forward to. This is Jaye Ford’s debut novel, and there is nothing ‘debut-ish’ about this book. It was easy to read, easy to relate to (a group of four mums heading off for a north bound weekend away) and easy to get wrapped up in. This was edge of your seat stuff.
These four life-loving fun girls did not have the best luck starting off with their kid-free, husband-free weekend. A near miss serious accident on a Friday night in the pitch black and freezing cold area an hour north of Sydney steam rolls a weekend of disaster. They are lucky to have Jodie, strong PE High School teacher with dark secrets of her own, as the leader of their pack.
I carried on with my usual ‘can’t wait to get to the end’ type behaviour last night, not sure if it was my impatience or if it lagged that last third. I suspect it was the former as I read the book in a day. Thriller lovers and readers of all things Australian will love this book, she’s an author to get to know, and has reached my ‘go-to’ select group. Can’t wait for more. Brilliant writing and one that will suck you in right from the get-go!
August 6, 2019
What's supposed to be a girl's weekend away turns into a nightmare. One in which may end in murder.
A riveting, terrifying debut!
Jodie's wrists hurt. The skin is tearing. She can feel it. But she keeps pulling on the rope. Hurting and pulling. She knows Angela is alive. The whites of her eyes keep disappearing in the dark then reappearing. Large, round, scared. Angie is blinking. Jody is crying.
'Angela' Jodie whispers. 'Angie. I've got my hands free'
Angela whimpers
Jody is crawling through the dark to her. 'We've got to run, Angie.'
'I can't.'
Angela is bleeding. She is sticky and wet with it. Something is wrong with her leg.
Jody is too frightened to breathe. Too frightened to stay. Too frightened to go. She squeezes Angie's hand. The road's just through the trees. I can run that in under a minute. Flag someone down. Get help,'
' I tried to fight.'
'I know. You fought real hard, Ang.'
' run, Jodi. Before they come back.'
Jody runs. As fast as she can. Her feet pounding. Over dirt and grass and rock. Then are shouting behind her. Feet are pounding. Angie's screaming.
'No,' Jodie cries. Hands grab her. Pound her. She can't breathe.'No. No!'
********
Beyond Fear by Jaye Ford had me riveted to the pages, heart pounding in my chest! I read this book in two sittings, unable to put it down.
This is the third book I've read by Jaye Ford and she's never failed to get my adrenaline flowing!
A riveting, terrifying debut!
Jodie's wrists hurt. The skin is tearing. She can feel it. But she keeps pulling on the rope. Hurting and pulling. She knows Angela is alive. The whites of her eyes keep disappearing in the dark then reappearing. Large, round, scared. Angie is blinking. Jody is crying.
'Angela' Jodie whispers. 'Angie. I've got my hands free'
Angela whimpers
Jody is crawling through the dark to her. 'We've got to run, Angie.'
'I can't.'
Angela is bleeding. She is sticky and wet with it. Something is wrong with her leg.
Jody is too frightened to breathe. Too frightened to stay. Too frightened to go. She squeezes Angie's hand. The road's just through the trees. I can run that in under a minute. Flag someone down. Get help,'
' I tried to fight.'
'I know. You fought real hard, Ang.'
' run, Jodi. Before they come back.'
Jody runs. As fast as she can. Her feet pounding. Over dirt and grass and rock. Then are shouting behind her. Feet are pounding. Angie's screaming.
'No,' Jodie cries. Hands grab her. Pound her. She can't breathe.'No. No!'
********
Beyond Fear by Jaye Ford had me riveted to the pages, heart pounding in my chest! I read this book in two sittings, unable to put it down.
This is the third book I've read by Jaye Ford and she's never failed to get my adrenaline flowing!
January 23, 2020
Firstly I would like to thank the author for a copy of her book,this would of been a 5 star review as the action didn't start till half way through this book,its started with a group of friends on a weekend break when the car broke down it was intense some left in the dark waiting on a taxi it was creepy they meet up with the other girls but an incident happened and managed with help to get to the place there staying in the middle of nowhere.the place has a past the story came alive in the second half,Jodie a strong character something horrid happened to her and a friend will it happen again.jodie someone has been in the house but her friends thinks shes paranoid is she telling the truth.good read recommend if you like a good thriller.
June 10, 2016
Four women are about to head away for an annual girls weekend. With no kids, husbands and no worries their weekend should be filled with laughter and fun, but it seems this it is off to a bad start with a car accident. When they eventually arrive at their destination Jodie, Corrine, Hannah and Louise begin to relax a little until there is a knock at the door. Jodie had been feeling uneasy beforehand, only now with two men at the door, she was feeling a lot worse. Who were these men and what did they want?
OH MY GOODNESS! Beyond Fear was a fast paced page turner which kept me on the edge of my seat. If you enjoy a really good thriller, then make sure you read this book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
OH MY GOODNESS! Beyond Fear was a fast paced page turner which kept me on the edge of my seat. If you enjoy a really good thriller, then make sure you read this book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
September 20, 2023
Been giving low ratings, lately. And this one will not be spared as well. Ugh!
Four bestfriends in their forties. One isolated cabin miles away from town. Two strangers with evil plans. One former cop with a limp. Seems like a good plot, right? How about nah?
100 pages in and I'm sitting here trying to force myself to turn the pages because nothing is happening! It gets repetitive at times and I just wanna slam the book and not open it again. Also, can I just have a good and intense thriller without a budding romance on the side? Hot woman, hot guy, both ill-tempered and bossy! Ugh! If I wanted a romance, I'd be reading Danielle Steele or Jane Austen! But nooo! I wanted death, thrill and lots of chasing! Not romance! Nooooo!
I'm done with this book.
Four bestfriends in their forties. One isolated cabin miles away from town. Two strangers with evil plans. One former cop with a limp. Seems like a good plot, right? How about nah?
100 pages in and I'm sitting here trying to force myself to turn the pages because nothing is happening! It gets repetitive at times and I just wanna slam the book and not open it again. Also, can I just have a good and intense thriller without a budding romance on the side? Hot woman, hot guy, both ill-tempered and bossy! Ugh! If I wanted a romance, I'd be reading Danielle Steele or Jane Austen! But nooo! I wanted death, thrill and lots of chasing! Not romance! Nooooo!
I'm done with this book.
February 19, 2018
It's hard to believe this is Jaye Ford's debut novel. She somehow manages to slowly introduce a few notes of creepiness early, slowly raising it by degrees until the suspense hits in full force and then keeps rolling on relentlessly.
Four women set off on their annual weekend away together to have a break from their kids and/or husbands. This year Jodie, a teacher has chosen the location, a renovated barn in a remote location. The weekend starts of badly with a minor car accident requiring a tow truck to the nearest town where the women borrow a car to get out to the barn. While waiting in the pub, Jodie has a run in with with an aggressive drunk who propositions her putting her on edge. Jodie has never told her friends that she barely survived a viscious attack that left best friend raped and murdered, but she still bears the scars, both physically and psychologically. So when two men show up near the barn later that night, claiming to be campers, her hackles are raised while everyone else is calm and relaxed. However, what none of them know is that the men are looking for something and before the weekend is over, Jodie and her friends will be subjected to fear and terror beyond anything they could have imagined.
I really liked Jodie's character, she's the strong, feisty woman with a strong survival streak who you'd want by your side if you were attacked. Ex policeman Matt, makes for an interesting comparison as a man who is suffering from stress after a police op went wrong and has lost confidence in himself. Jodie's friends Hannah, Louise and Corinne were not as well fleshed out so it was hard to see what bound them all together as friends. The two bad guys were as bad as they come, both ruthless but one also psychotic and barely under control of the other and very dangerous. An excellent psychological drama with a bit of romance on the side. 4.5★
Four women set off on their annual weekend away together to have a break from their kids and/or husbands. This year Jodie, a teacher has chosen the location, a renovated barn in a remote location. The weekend starts of badly with a minor car accident requiring a tow truck to the nearest town where the women borrow a car to get out to the barn. While waiting in the pub, Jodie has a run in with with an aggressive drunk who propositions her putting her on edge. Jodie has never told her friends that she barely survived a viscious attack that left best friend raped and murdered, but she still bears the scars, both physically and psychologically. So when two men show up near the barn later that night, claiming to be campers, her hackles are raised while everyone else is calm and relaxed. However, what none of them know is that the men are looking for something and before the weekend is over, Jodie and her friends will be subjected to fear and terror beyond anything they could have imagined.
I really liked Jodie's character, she's the strong, feisty woman with a strong survival streak who you'd want by your side if you were attacked. Ex policeman Matt, makes for an interesting comparison as a man who is suffering from stress after a police op went wrong and has lost confidence in himself. Jodie's friends Hannah, Louise and Corinne were not as well fleshed out so it was hard to see what bound them all together as friends. The two bad guys were as bad as they come, both ruthless but one also psychotic and barely under control of the other and very dangerous. An excellent psychological drama with a bit of romance on the side. 4.5★
April 20, 2020
Jodie and three of her best friends are having a ladies-away weekend ... leaving behind their husbands and/or kids.. to spend some relaxing time in a secluded cabin.
Unknown to the four women, their secluded cabin was once the focus of a police investigation and, like Jodie, it nurtures a dark secret ...
As a teenager, Jodie and her friend were abducted by three men. She luckily escaped, but not before she was witness to her friend's murder. Is it any wonder that she has severe trust issues .. especially when it comes to men.
As they settle in, Jodie begins to have flashbacks and panic attacks. She wakes up screaming in the middle of the night. She is convinced that they are in danger when she finds evidence that someone has been watching them. Her friends don't believe it ....
Until the two men show up......
This Australian author presents a well-crafted, highly suspenseful, novel that's guaranteed to have the reader double checking the doors and windows. It's a real page-turner with characters that are deftly drawn. It's riveting and chilling....
Many thanks to the author / Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' / Netgalley for the digital copy of this highly suspenseful novel. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
March 12, 2020
BEYOND FEAR is the award winning and bestselling Australian author, by Jaye Ford, author of five psychological thrillers. Her first novel, Beyond Fear, was the highest selling debut crime novel in Australia in 2011 and won two Davitt Awards for Best Debut and Readers’ Choice. This is a new author to me, but not one I will forget.
First of all, I can’t believe this is a debut novel. It was well written and easy to follow and get easily involved with the characters. It was easy to read.
At seventeen, Jodie Cramer survived a terrifying assault at the hands of three strangers. Now thirty-five, she is a teacher and mother, her memories of that past horror are buried deep.
Four friends Jodie, Louisa, Corrine and Hannah head off for a weekend in the country, without the husband or children for a weekend of relaxation and fun. A girl’s weekend away, that didn’t start off well. But on the way to their destination, they were involved in an accident. A driver who had pushed them off the road, forced Jodie to crash into a pole. The car was undriveable.
Some jerk had aimed for their car on the road, and sent them off the road, and could have killed them all. Jodie had almost killed her best friends and destroyed four families.
To their luck, a tow truck driver, Matt comes to the rescue and picks them up and delivers them to the cabin.
Unknown to the four women, their secluded cabin was once the focus of a police investigation and, like Jodie, it nurtures a dark secret.
As her friends relax, the isolation reawakens Jodie’s terrifying memories. When she finds evidence of trespassers, she is convinced they are in danger. But the other women don’t believe her and suffering flashbacks that threaten to ruin the weekend for everyone, Jodie begins to doubt herself.
This was a fast-paced, page-turning suspense novel, with relatable characters that is sure to appeal to a broad range of readers. Very enjoyable read.
Many thanks to the author for a digital copy of her book.
First of all, I can’t believe this is a debut novel. It was well written and easy to follow and get easily involved with the characters. It was easy to read.
At seventeen, Jodie Cramer survived a terrifying assault at the hands of three strangers. Now thirty-five, she is a teacher and mother, her memories of that past horror are buried deep.
Four friends Jodie, Louisa, Corrine and Hannah head off for a weekend in the country, without the husband or children for a weekend of relaxation and fun. A girl’s weekend away, that didn’t start off well. But on the way to their destination, they were involved in an accident. A driver who had pushed them off the road, forced Jodie to crash into a pole. The car was undriveable.
Some jerk had aimed for their car on the road, and sent them off the road, and could have killed them all. Jodie had almost killed her best friends and destroyed four families.
To their luck, a tow truck driver, Matt comes to the rescue and picks them up and delivers them to the cabin.
Unknown to the four women, their secluded cabin was once the focus of a police investigation and, like Jodie, it nurtures a dark secret.
As her friends relax, the isolation reawakens Jodie’s terrifying memories. When she finds evidence of trespassers, she is convinced they are in danger. But the other women don’t believe her and suffering flashbacks that threaten to ruin the weekend for everyone, Jodie begins to doubt herself.
This was a fast-paced, page-turning suspense novel, with relatable characters that is sure to appeal to a broad range of readers. Very enjoyable read.
Many thanks to the author for a digital copy of her book.
April 23, 2020
Wow! What A Page Turner!
Beyond Fear is award winning and bestselling Australian author Jaye Ford's debut crime novel. She is a new to me author and I look forward to reading her other suspenseful crime novels.
On the way to their annual Girl's Weekend four women become stranded in the remote countryside after being forced off the road. Dark, creepy and isolated this is just the beginning of what's to come. Inexplicable events and disturbing strangers emerge into a terror-filled weekend concluding with a thrilling ending.
Thank you to Jaye Ford for allowing me to read and review this novel before it's release in North America.
Beyond Fear is award winning and bestselling Australian author Jaye Ford's debut crime novel. She is a new to me author and I look forward to reading her other suspenseful crime novels.
On the way to their annual Girl's Weekend four women become stranded in the remote countryside after being forced off the road. Dark, creepy and isolated this is just the beginning of what's to come. Inexplicable events and disturbing strangers emerge into a terror-filled weekend concluding with a thrilling ending.
Thank you to Jaye Ford for allowing me to read and review this novel before it's release in North America.
March 16, 2020
My heartfelt thanks go to my Goodreads name-sharing friend, Brenda, and to the author, Jaye Ford, for offering me this book. It was amazing!
It has been quite a while since a book kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning. I was rapt, compelled to finish. My Kindle said there was 2 ½ hours left. I looked at the time. I didn’t care. FYI, my Kindle was right.
Four moms, Jodie, Louise, Corrine, and Hannah, head out for their annual “weekend away.” Half an hour from their destination, things start to go wrong and it escalates from there. Jaye Ford amped up the tension and pressure and held it at a high level through the last 60% of the book. And this is her debut novel!
I plan to read more of Jaye Ford’s books, fully expecting I’ll be losing sleep with them.
It has been quite a while since a book kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning. I was rapt, compelled to finish. My Kindle said there was 2 ½ hours left. I looked at the time. I didn’t care. FYI, my Kindle was right.
Four moms, Jodie, Louise, Corrine, and Hannah, head out for their annual “weekend away.” Half an hour from their destination, things start to go wrong and it escalates from there. Jaye Ford amped up the tension and pressure and held it at a high level through the last 60% of the book. And this is her debut novel!
I plan to read more of Jaye Ford’s books, fully expecting I’ll be losing sleep with them.
May 16, 2020
Beyond Fear is the first novel by award-winning, best-selling Australian author, Jaye Ford. The weekend starts badly. The accommodation Jodie Cramer has booked for what is dubbed the Fringe Dwellers Weekend Away Episode Eight looks good: a converted barn near Bald Hill that meets the approval of her three best friends once they finally get there, although it is quite a bit more isolated than the website had implied.
But an hour out of Newcastle, some hoon had virtually run them off the road, and Jodie’s car was undriveable. The tow truck was prompt, and the driver efficient, but lack of space meant that she and Corinne had to wait by the side of the road for the cab that never arrived. The cold and dark had unnerved Jodie, triggering a flashback to her teens: a terrifying episode of which her friends are unaware.
Thereafter, an encounter with a drunk at the pub, coupled with Jodie’s hyperawareness of personal safety mean that when the two campers(?) turn up at the barn, she is thoroughly spooked. Her friends are sceptical, think she’s overreacting. Can’t they see the danger? Jodie begins to second-guess herself; maybe she is paranoid…
A Newcastle detective on stress leave, Matt Wiseman is back in Bald Hill helping out at his dad's service station while his head sorts itself out and his knee heals. Doing the tow job on this Friday night as a favour, when he first meets this group of four women, he’s surprised at their destination: clearly the ad for the B&B hasn’t mentioned the place’s disturbing history.
This is a thriller that grabs the reader from page one and doesn’t let go. Ford is skilled at setting the scene and her characters are multi-faceted and credibly flawed. Jodie is a gutsy heroine and her determination spurs Matt on. The villains are truly frightening and at times the reader will want to give Jodie’s friends a good shake.
The story is fast-paced and adrenaline-filled: anytime the reader gets a bit complacent, Ford ramps up the tension another notch, sometimes so high that you have to do the reading equivalent of “hands in front of the eyes in a scary movie”: shut the book and walk away for a bit. But not for long: this page-turner is addictive and multiple heart-thumping climaxes build up to a nail-biting finish.
In a story that features PTSD (at least three characters have/had) and self-reliance, Ford demonstrates the strength of friendship, the power of directed anger and the importance of trusting your instincts. A stunning debut from a talented author.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Independent Book Publishers Association
But an hour out of Newcastle, some hoon had virtually run them off the road, and Jodie’s car was undriveable. The tow truck was prompt, and the driver efficient, but lack of space meant that she and Corinne had to wait by the side of the road for the cab that never arrived. The cold and dark had unnerved Jodie, triggering a flashback to her teens: a terrifying episode of which her friends are unaware.
Thereafter, an encounter with a drunk at the pub, coupled with Jodie’s hyperawareness of personal safety mean that when the two campers(?) turn up at the barn, she is thoroughly spooked. Her friends are sceptical, think she’s overreacting. Can’t they see the danger? Jodie begins to second-guess herself; maybe she is paranoid…
A Newcastle detective on stress leave, Matt Wiseman is back in Bald Hill helping out at his dad's service station while his head sorts itself out and his knee heals. Doing the tow job on this Friday night as a favour, when he first meets this group of four women, he’s surprised at their destination: clearly the ad for the B&B hasn’t mentioned the place’s disturbing history.
This is a thriller that grabs the reader from page one and doesn’t let go. Ford is skilled at setting the scene and her characters are multi-faceted and credibly flawed. Jodie is a gutsy heroine and her determination spurs Matt on. The villains are truly frightening and at times the reader will want to give Jodie’s friends a good shake.
The story is fast-paced and adrenaline-filled: anytime the reader gets a bit complacent, Ford ramps up the tension another notch, sometimes so high that you have to do the reading equivalent of “hands in front of the eyes in a scary movie”: shut the book and walk away for a bit. But not for long: this page-turner is addictive and multiple heart-thumping climaxes build up to a nail-biting finish.
In a story that features PTSD (at least three characters have/had) and self-reliance, Ford demonstrates the strength of friendship, the power of directed anger and the importance of trusting your instincts. A stunning debut from a talented author.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Independent Book Publishers Association
December 2, 2013
Jaye Ford knows how to keep up the suspense - there were moments in this when I really wanted to skip forward to make sure that the main characters actually survived to the end of the book! However I restrained myself and enjoyed the fear. The characters were well written and believable and it was nice to have a strong female lead. A book I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good thriller.
September 15, 2017
Beyond Fear, about four friends Jodie, Louisa, Corrine and Hannah who every now again go away without the husband or children for a weekend of fun. However, this did not happen just before reaching their destination their car crashed. Unbeknowing to the tow truck driver Matt that picking up the four friends will involve him in a race to save the four ladies and himself. The readers of Beyond Fear will go on a rollercoaster ride to see what happens to Jodie, Louisa, Corrine, Hannah and Matt.
Wow, I loved reading Beyond Fear. I love the way, Jaye Ford adds suspense on every page that you never know what going to happen next and this differently ensures that her readers are glued to the chairs until they read the last word. Also, I do like the way Jaye Ford entwine and portrays her characters. I also like the way that Jaye Ford shows her readers though her character Jodie that you can overcome fear to save yourself and others during a violent situation.
Readers of Beyond Fear will learn that if you had suffered from sexual assault has a young girl the memories can surface when you do not expect it. Also, readers of Beyond Fear will see how post trauma stress disorder can affect people differently. Reading Beyond Fear, you will start to think about the damages we can do to children who are neglected by their parents and forgotten by the community.
I recommend this book.
Wow, I loved reading Beyond Fear. I love the way, Jaye Ford adds suspense on every page that you never know what going to happen next and this differently ensures that her readers are glued to the chairs until they read the last word. Also, I do like the way Jaye Ford entwine and portrays her characters. I also like the way that Jaye Ford shows her readers though her character Jodie that you can overcome fear to save yourself and others during a violent situation.
Readers of Beyond Fear will learn that if you had suffered from sexual assault has a young girl the memories can surface when you do not expect it. Also, readers of Beyond Fear will see how post trauma stress disorder can affect people differently. Reading Beyond Fear, you will start to think about the damages we can do to children who are neglected by their parents and forgotten by the community.
I recommend this book.
October 9, 2021
2,5. Jodie, Corinne, Louise y Hannah son cuatro amigas que inician su escapada de fin de semana, unos días sin trabajos, pareja y niños. El destino es una vieja casa de campo aislada en un pueblito llamado Bald Hil. Lo que empieza siendo un fin de semana lleno de risas, alcohol y desconectar, acaba convirtiéndose en una lucha por sobrevivir.
En cuanto descubrí este libro supe que quería leerlo, la sinopsis gritaba "slasher" por todas partes, y es un género que me flipa, y aunque al final no fue así, sí que tenía ciertas cosas interesantes que me mantuvieron enganchado durante toda la novela, ya que se lee super rápido y la autora sabe sacarle jugo a las situaciones de tensión con bastante atino. Pero se me ha quedado muy corta.
La historia tarda mucho en arranchar y de las cuatrocientas y pico páginas que tiente, no es hasta que quedan unas ciento cincuenta páginas que se confirma lo que está pasando, el resto son solo impresiones, como digo bien llevadas, pero llega un punto que te cansan tantos "por fin va a pasar algo...espera, otra vez no". Además, la fórmula típica de estos thrillers de solo una se da cuenta de lo que ocurre y las otras amigas viven tranquilas cansa. Llega un punto que todo es muy obvio, y siguen negando lo evidente. Salvo Jodie, el resto de personajes me hirvió tanto la sangre, que no me hubiera importado mucho que se salvaran o no, la verdad xD.
Tampoco me ha convencido que fuera todo tan "fácil" y posible, no quiero dar muchos datos, para no destripar la historia, pero me la esperaba mejor, sobre todo porque la autora sabe mantener la tensión y es la trama la que no termina de cuajar. En fin, que se lee de un tirón, es amena y no aburre nunca, pero no da para más. Muy justita.
En cuanto descubrí este libro supe que quería leerlo, la sinopsis gritaba "slasher" por todas partes, y es un género que me flipa, y aunque al final no fue así, sí que tenía ciertas cosas interesantes que me mantuvieron enganchado durante toda la novela, ya que se lee super rápido y la autora sabe sacarle jugo a las situaciones de tensión con bastante atino. Pero se me ha quedado muy corta.
La historia tarda mucho en arranchar y de las cuatrocientas y pico páginas que tiente, no es hasta que quedan unas ciento cincuenta páginas que se confirma lo que está pasando, el resto son solo impresiones, como digo bien llevadas, pero llega un punto que te cansan tantos "por fin va a pasar algo...espera, otra vez no". Además, la fórmula típica de estos thrillers de solo una se da cuenta de lo que ocurre y las otras amigas viven tranquilas cansa. Llega un punto que todo es muy obvio, y siguen negando lo evidente. Salvo Jodie, el resto de personajes me hirvió tanto la sangre, que no me hubiera importado mucho que se salvaran o no, la verdad xD.
Tampoco me ha convencido que fuera todo tan "fácil" y posible, no quiero dar muchos datos, para no destripar la historia, pero me la esperaba mejor, sobre todo porque la autora sabe mantener la tensión y es la trama la que no termina de cuajar. En fin, que se lee de un tirón, es amena y no aburre nunca, pero no da para más. Muy justita.
October 21, 2014
Oh WOW!!!!! What an amazing book! Debut novel from Jaye Ford, a former journalist who lives in Lake Macquarie, NSW. The story of 4 women who have a girly weekend once a year, filled with laughter, fun, champagne, food and much more. But this year, things don't quite work out the way they planned!!! Jodie, who has a tragedy almost 20 years in her past, of which she has told no-one, Corrine, Hannah and Louise find their weekend starting badly with a car accident on a country road heading for the B&B at Bald Hill. Eventually settled and relaxing, the isolation begins to cause Jodie to have 'flashbacks' to her past. She senses trouble, but no-one will believe her, until two men come knocking.......
June 6, 2020
Beyond Fear is Jaye Ford's debut crime novel. Jodie, a Mum of two, is the sole survivor of a vicious attack on her and her best friend. Years later, Jodie has a new group of friends and never speaks of her traumatic past. Jodie and her friends go on their annual girls weekend away. They rent a renovated barn in outback NSW. Their fun weekend of relaxing, drinking wine, catching up on gossip and spending time away from their families soon becomes a nightmare. Jaye's book is a fast, thrilling ride! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy.
April 10, 2020
5 stars Thanks to the author Jaye Ford for a chance to read and review this book. Publishes in the US April 20, 2020.
I received this book directly from the author. And I am so happy that I did. There are few books that I gave a 5 star rating to, but this one sure deserves it. Seldom do I regret entering the last chapter of a book, however in this case, I will miss the characters that I came to know and understand.
From the opening page this story grabbed me and then it took on a life of it's own. So many instances in this story relate to real life situations and happenings. And for a woman, one of the most predominant fears is to meet men like the Anderson brothers.
Four women go on a weekend get-away. Things do not start out on a good note, then they disintegrate even further. Their destination is beautiful, warm and welcoming - their stay is much less so. Three of the four women begin to think their friend has gone off the deep end, and is losing her mind, seeing and hearing things that are not there. Then comes a knock at the door...
Jaye Ford is no novice author. Her writing is strong, her characters show their vulnerabilities, her plot lines are demanding. This is one author that I will continue to follow.
I received this book directly from the author. And I am so happy that I did. There are few books that I gave a 5 star rating to, but this one sure deserves it. Seldom do I regret entering the last chapter of a book, however in this case, I will miss the characters that I came to know and understand.
From the opening page this story grabbed me and then it took on a life of it's own. So many instances in this story relate to real life situations and happenings. And for a woman, one of the most predominant fears is to meet men like the Anderson brothers.
Four women go on a weekend get-away. Things do not start out on a good note, then they disintegrate even further. Their destination is beautiful, warm and welcoming - their stay is much less so. Three of the four women begin to think their friend has gone off the deep end, and is losing her mind, seeing and hearing things that are not there. Then comes a knock at the door...
Jaye Ford is no novice author. Her writing is strong, her characters show their vulnerabilities, her plot lines are demanding. This is one author that I will continue to follow.
April 18, 2020
I decided to pick this up not only due to an intriguing synopsis but because it won two Davitt Awards for Australian Women Crime Writers, namely Best Debut and Readers’ Choice. It was also the highest selling debut thriller in Australia when it was initially published in 2011 so I figured it had to be worth a dabble. At its heart, this is a psychological thriller centred on the trials and tribulations of main protagonist, Jodie Cramer, who certainly hasn’t had it easy. To gain a little rest and relaxation her and four friends take a girlie break to an idyllic retreat hiring a hunting cabin in the stunning, isolated countryside of Hunter Valley, New South Wales. However, the time away ends up dredging up terrifying feelings of paranoia over a vicious incident that happened to Jodie eighteen years ago. It’s quite frankly astounding that this is a debut novel as it is just so pitch-perfect and exhilarating whilst authentically portraying the impact past trauma can have on a victim going forward.
Jodie is a strong, tough heroine and an ordinary thirty-five-year-old mother of two who was inspired by an attack on a girl close to Ford’s home that she read about in the newspaper. Ford has very much thrust an ordinary woman into extraordinary circumstances and made her dig deep to survive. It will get your heart racing, your blood pumping and those pages turning feverishly like no tomorrow. The pace is quick but slow enough to allow the author to craft a truly oppressive-feeling, moody atmosphere that worked so well and the isolated surroundings with no mobile service only served to heighten the tension more. There was a profound unease right from the outset and that continued to slowly but surely grow with the menace creeping up on you before you know it culminating in an explosive ending. Beyond Fear has been described as Nicci French meets Karin Slaughter, and I have to admit it has touches of both.
It is a highly accomplished, deliciously dark and spine-chilling thriller from beginning to end. Boy am I glad to have picked this up and urge other crime readers to do the same. This is an author with bags of talent and a wicked imagination to boot. A proper nail-biting read. 4.5 stars. Many thanks to Jaye Ford/IBPA for an ARC.
Jodie is a strong, tough heroine and an ordinary thirty-five-year-old mother of two who was inspired by an attack on a girl close to Ford’s home that she read about in the newspaper. Ford has very much thrust an ordinary woman into extraordinary circumstances and made her dig deep to survive. It will get your heart racing, your blood pumping and those pages turning feverishly like no tomorrow. The pace is quick but slow enough to allow the author to craft a truly oppressive-feeling, moody atmosphere that worked so well and the isolated surroundings with no mobile service only served to heighten the tension more. There was a profound unease right from the outset and that continued to slowly but surely grow with the menace creeping up on you before you know it culminating in an explosive ending. Beyond Fear has been described as Nicci French meets Karin Slaughter, and I have to admit it has touches of both.
It is a highly accomplished, deliciously dark and spine-chilling thriller from beginning to end. Boy am I glad to have picked this up and urge other crime readers to do the same. This is an author with bags of talent and a wicked imagination to boot. A proper nail-biting read. 4.5 stars. Many thanks to Jaye Ford/IBPA for an ARC.
September 29, 2013
This started well. Four mothers head off to the country for a girls' weekend in a renovated barn. One woman, Jodie, has a secret: she was assaulted as a teen and saw her best friend raped and killed. Ever since she's been haunted by the fact that she escaped instead of helping her friend. Before the women even reach the town of Bald Hill things go wrong. They're run off the road, left in the dark in the middle of nowhere and then Jodie has an encounter with a creepy bloke in the pub who, we learn, from another viewpoint character Matt, is suspected of killing a girl (among other dirty deeds). Hmm, doesn't take much to figure out what's going to happen out in the isolated barn, does it?
Strangely the climax of this story begins halfway through the book and continues for a good 200 pages. With the tension being maintained for so long the going is exhausting, and, I confess, I found myself skipping huge chunks just to get to the guts of the story - which really doesn't gel. Creepy pub guy, Kane, and his equally creepy brother hold the girls captive, shooting them, bashing them, screaming horrible names at them while searching for a cache of stolen guns they hid in the barn before it was renovated. My BIG question: Why didn't they simply break in to the empty barn and collect their stash before it was rented out for a weekend to a group of city chicks? For all these guys knew these women could have turned up with husbands in tow. So much simpler, but, of course, there'd be no story.
Another thing that totally irritated me was how Jodie's friends all thought she was having a breakdown every time something suss happened. At least one of them should have kept an open mind that she might be right. When the bad guys showed up I was actually hoping they'd kill Jodie's non-believer friends. Really, it would have served them right.
Strangely the climax of this story begins halfway through the book and continues for a good 200 pages. With the tension being maintained for so long the going is exhausting, and, I confess, I found myself skipping huge chunks just to get to the guts of the story - which really doesn't gel. Creepy pub guy, Kane, and his equally creepy brother hold the girls captive, shooting them, bashing them, screaming horrible names at them while searching for a cache of stolen guns they hid in the barn before it was renovated. My BIG question: Why didn't they simply break in to the empty barn and collect their stash before it was rented out for a weekend to a group of city chicks? For all these guys knew these women could have turned up with husbands in tow. So much simpler, but, of course, there'd be no story.
Another thing that totally irritated me was how Jodie's friends all thought she was having a breakdown every time something suss happened. At least one of them should have kept an open mind that she might be right. When the bad guys showed up I was actually hoping they'd kill Jodie's non-believer friends. Really, it would have served them right.
April 21, 2020
In her debut thriller, Jaye Ford already shows masterful skills in character development and building dramatic tension. Jodie and her three friends head off for a mothers' getaway weekend that Jodie has arranged at an isolated B&B out in the Australian bush. But things get off to a terrible start with an incident on the road and go downhill from there. Jodie has had a traumatic past and sees signs that things are not quite right here but her friends think she's just being paranoid. That is, until two burly men appear and talk their way inside...
Buckle your seatbelt for a wild thrill ride! The tension builds and builds as the story unfolds. Ford really brings her characters to life--you might recognize a few of your own friends among these women. Jodie is a toughie who has been through a lot and is more more resilient than she thinks.
I wish to thank the author, Jaye Ford, for the gift of her debut thriller in exchange for my honest review. I'm grateful for the opportunity. I'd also like to thank my GoodReads friend Sandi for the recommendation and suggestion that I contact Jaye Ford for an arc. You're the best, Sandi!
Buckle your seatbelt for a wild thrill ride! The tension builds and builds as the story unfolds. Ford really brings her characters to life--you might recognize a few of your own friends among these women. Jodie is a toughie who has been through a lot and is more more resilient than she thinks.
I wish to thank the author, Jaye Ford, for the gift of her debut thriller in exchange for my honest review. I'm grateful for the opportunity. I'd also like to thank my GoodReads friend Sandi for the recommendation and suggestion that I contact Jaye Ford for an arc. You're the best, Sandi!
March 9, 2016
Fast paced, like, nail-bitingly fast paced! Like, a good half of the book being nail-bitingly, sit of the edge of the seat type tension. This is good, and this is also exhausting! So, while this is an awesome debut read from this Aussie author, I certainly felt like a light easy read after this one!
Four mothers are on their way to their annual girls weekend away - this time at a quaint refurbished barn out in the bush. This begins a series of somewhat unfortunate events. Then unfortunate events becomes slightly scary events. Which becomes their worst nightmare. For one of the women, Jodie, has a secret. She's been beyond fear before. One of the slightly annoying aspects of this story is that no one believes her! Yep, incredibly annoying!
All in all, a great read ... will be reading more from this author for sure!
Four mothers are on their way to their annual girls weekend away - this time at a quaint refurbished barn out in the bush. This begins a series of somewhat unfortunate events. Then unfortunate events becomes slightly scary events. Which becomes their worst nightmare. For one of the women, Jodie, has a secret. She's been beyond fear before. One of the slightly annoying aspects of this story is that no one believes her! Yep, incredibly annoying!
All in all, a great read ... will be reading more from this author for sure!
April 3, 2012
Having recently read Jaye Ford's other book (Scared Yet?), I was really looking forward to reading this one and it definitely didn't disappoint. Once again the setting is in NSW, close to Newcastle - although this time it is a remote B&B in the middle of nowhere. This, of course, is a perfect setting for a thriller/suspense novel.
Four mothers set off for a weekend away from kids/husbands. Driving along a quiet, dark country road they are run off the road by another car - forcing them to stop and wait for help. While all the women are shaken by the ordeal, it is Jodie who is freaked out the most. Unknown to her friends she was a witness to a horrific crime years before and bears physical and emotional scars as a result.
The author sets the scene perfectly - you can literally feel yourself being in the same situation - pitch black, no phone reception and the myriad of night sounds echoing around you to create a truly eerie atmosphere. As scary as this is, it's not until the women arrive at the remote B&B barn they have rented that things get really freaky.
Not long after they arrive, suspicious things start happening. While Jodie is immediately on guard, the others think she is being paranoid and don't take her fears seriously. This ultimately leads to them being in a life-threatening situation, where they have to rely on each other to fight for their own survival.
You can't help but like Jodie, the main character. She is a damaged soul, who has built herself up physically and mentally to project a tough, strong and together image. Ultimately, however deep inside she is still a quivering mess after the incident in her teenage years that continues to haunt her.
The setting is fantastic - you really can picture the scene, both at the B&B and the small town nearby. The only downside, I thought was that the action scene went on a little too long. Because it is so edge of your set, it was exhausting to read (by the end). That's not to say it wasn't fantastically written, it was almost too suspenseful (if that makes sense?)
Overall another amazing book by Jaye Ford, guaranteed to have you jumping at shadows and avoiding dark country roads at all costs!
Four mothers set off for a weekend away from kids/husbands. Driving along a quiet, dark country road they are run off the road by another car - forcing them to stop and wait for help. While all the women are shaken by the ordeal, it is Jodie who is freaked out the most. Unknown to her friends she was a witness to a horrific crime years before and bears physical and emotional scars as a result.
The author sets the scene perfectly - you can literally feel yourself being in the same situation - pitch black, no phone reception and the myriad of night sounds echoing around you to create a truly eerie atmosphere. As scary as this is, it's not until the women arrive at the remote B&B barn they have rented that things get really freaky.
Not long after they arrive, suspicious things start happening. While Jodie is immediately on guard, the others think she is being paranoid and don't take her fears seriously. This ultimately leads to them being in a life-threatening situation, where they have to rely on each other to fight for their own survival.
You can't help but like Jodie, the main character. She is a damaged soul, who has built herself up physically and mentally to project a tough, strong and together image. Ultimately, however deep inside she is still a quivering mess after the incident in her teenage years that continues to haunt her.
The setting is fantastic - you really can picture the scene, both at the B&B and the small town nearby. The only downside, I thought was that the action scene went on a little too long. Because it is so edge of your set, it was exhausting to read (by the end). That's not to say it wasn't fantastically written, it was almost too suspenseful (if that makes sense?)
Overall another amazing book by Jaye Ford, guaranteed to have you jumping at shadows and avoiding dark country roads at all costs!
March 6, 2018
In 'Beyond Fear', four mothers head out to a cabin for a relaxing child-free vacation only to get more than they bargained for. Traumatized by a violent incident that happened when she was a teenager, Jodie begins to wonder if she's losing her mind or if someone is actually prowling around the cabin. However, her doubt disappears with the arrival of two men..
This story started off promising with Jodie and her friends Corrine, Louise and Hannah getting into an accident early on in their journey hence instantly dissipating their excitement. As they wait around in the dark for a taxi, Jodie can't shake off her uneasiness that something bad is about to happen. Unfortunately, from this point onwards, the story took a quick nosedive in terms of storyline and character development due to several factors that simply couldn't be ignored.
First of all, the content was repetitive and filled with mundane details that were either irrelevant or pointless. Several examples come to mind: the author repeatedly stated that one of the heels of Corrine's expensive ankle boots broke, Jodie was tough and badass, Matt realized how kickass and attractive Jodie was, Jodie was worried that someone was lurking around with bad intentions in mind, etc. Consequently, the entire book was terribly slow-paced and boring.
It didn't help that the villains were dumbed down to the point where it robbed all sense of danger and urgency from what otherwise would have been a chilling life-and-death situation. I had so many questions while reading this mess:
Why would two guys target four women at once when they were clearly outnumbered?
Why would they target four women without knowing for sure whether anyone else might drop by?
Why would they ask the women to cook for them and proceed to eat without worrying about being poisoned? (This was probably the most stupid and ridiculous thing in the book)
Why did they constantly threaten the women but barely even hurt anyone seriously?
Why did they not bother gagging the women? (Sure, they were in a secluded area but that just seemed really risky)
Why did they not bother disguising themselves considering how little they cared about killing or silencing the witnesses?
Why did they lock up ALL the victims in the same room without restricting their movements or limiting their interactions?
Why didn't they break in when no one was home? (Since what they wanted could've been obtained without hurting anyone)
Why did they ask Jodie to answer the door instead of answering it themselves by shooting whoever was on the doorstep?
Why did one of them love calling Jodie a "tough bitch" so much? (It got old after the first few times)
Why did they have such poor vocabulary to match their non-academic stupidity? (Oh wait.. maybe that was why)
Why did they take their own sweet time to get what they wanted instead of leaving as soon as possible?
Why did everyone rely on Jodie instead of using their own brains?
The ending was predictably mediocre and unrealistic, with . Overall, 'Beyond Fear' was a major letdown as its content turned out to be the opposite of what the title promised. It was forgettable and merely delivered zero fear and maximum boredom.
This story started off promising with Jodie and her friends Corrine, Louise and Hannah getting into an accident early on in their journey hence instantly dissipating their excitement. As they wait around in the dark for a taxi, Jodie can't shake off her uneasiness that something bad is about to happen. Unfortunately, from this point onwards, the story took a quick nosedive in terms of storyline and character development due to several factors that simply couldn't be ignored.
First of all, the content was repetitive and filled with mundane details that were either irrelevant or pointless. Several examples come to mind: the author repeatedly stated that one of the heels of Corrine's expensive ankle boots broke, Jodie was tough and badass, Matt realized how kickass and attractive Jodie was, Jodie was worried that someone was lurking around with bad intentions in mind, etc. Consequently, the entire book was terribly slow-paced and boring.
It didn't help that the villains were dumbed down to the point where it robbed all sense of danger and urgency from what otherwise would have been a chilling life-and-death situation. I had so many questions while reading this mess:
Why would two guys target four women at once when they were clearly outnumbered?
Why would they target four women without knowing for sure whether anyone else might drop by?
Why would they ask the women to cook for them and proceed to eat without worrying about being poisoned? (This was probably the most stupid and ridiculous thing in the book)
Why did they constantly threaten the women but barely even hurt anyone seriously?
Why did they not bother gagging the women? (Sure, they were in a secluded area but that just seemed really risky)
Why did they not bother disguising themselves considering how little they cared about killing or silencing the witnesses?
Why did they lock up ALL the victims in the same room without restricting their movements or limiting their interactions?
Why didn't they break in when no one was home? (Since what they wanted could've been obtained without hurting anyone)
Why did they ask Jodie to answer the door instead of answering it themselves by shooting whoever was on the doorstep?
Why did one of them love calling Jodie a "tough bitch" so much? (It got old after the first few times)
Why did they have such poor vocabulary to match their non-academic stupidity? (Oh wait.. maybe that was why)
Why did they take their own sweet time to get what they wanted instead of leaving as soon as possible?
Why did everyone rely on Jodie instead of using their own brains?
The ending was predictably mediocre and unrealistic, with . Overall, 'Beyond Fear' was a major letdown as its content turned out to be the opposite of what the title promised. It was forgettable and merely delivered zero fear and maximum boredom.
August 25, 2016
OK this book finished with a massive bang. It did, however, start with a teeny fizzle. I thought the dialogue between the characters was a bit young for who they were supposed to be - married women with children close to 40 years of age (the women not the children). The love interest angle was sooo predictable (tedious) and it progressed as expected.
Having said that I enjoyed the book, particularly the second half when the gloves came off. It was quite gripping then. I think the author has potential and will props ably read more.
Having said that I enjoyed the book, particularly the second half when the gloves came off. It was quite gripping then. I think the author has potential and will props ably read more.
March 23, 2020
Wow! What a ride! This had me from start to finish. The author did a great job of grabbing your attention with the main character Jodie and wanting to know what happened to her in the past. Building off the intrigue of Jodie's story, it didn't take long for an amazing story to unfold. All the characters brought depth to the storyline. I wasn't disappointed with the end, but I found myself wanting it to keep going! LOL I will be reading more from Jaye Ford for sure!!
January 26, 2021
This is my first Jaye Ford book and I am looking forward to many more, this is her debut book which released in 2011 but has been re-released in 2020 and what a fabulous read it is, a heart stopping, edge of your seat story that had me turning the pages. Four girlfriends are off on their annual weekend away never thinking that it would turn out the way it did, this is one that was very hard to put down.
It was Jodie Cramer’s turn to choose the place for their weekend away for her and Hannah, Louise and Corrine, what more could four girlfriends want on a weekend away with no kids but an old renovated isolated barn in the country. On the drive there on a dark country road they have a car accident which sets Jodie back to a time eighteen years before when her life changed and left her with many physical and emotional scars, she is determined to put it behind her and enjoy their fun filled weekend of food some wine and lots of laughter never thinking that their weekend would turn into a horror of a weekend.
Jodie is convinced that there is trouble brewing with strangers turning up when they arrive and then lights and a car in the night, the girls are convinced Jodie is overreacting and are determined to get on with their weekend, but when two men arrive and start talking and get inside the barn things turn horribly bad. When the tow truck driver Matt shows up at the right time Jodie pulls him in on the danger unwillingly her guilt is running high.
This story moves fast and had me on the edge of my seat what a thriller, I felt so much for Jodie what she had already been through in the past was enough but to have to go through it again but the anger bought so much strength out in her. This is a must read story, one that I highly recommend you will not want to put it down till the end and see how things work out for Jodie, Hannah, Louise, Corrine and Matt. Thank you Jaye Ford for a fabulous read, I loved it.
It was Jodie Cramer’s turn to choose the place for their weekend away for her and Hannah, Louise and Corrine, what more could four girlfriends want on a weekend away with no kids but an old renovated isolated barn in the country. On the drive there on a dark country road they have a car accident which sets Jodie back to a time eighteen years before when her life changed and left her with many physical and emotional scars, she is determined to put it behind her and enjoy their fun filled weekend of food some wine and lots of laughter never thinking that their weekend would turn into a horror of a weekend.
Jodie is convinced that there is trouble brewing with strangers turning up when they arrive and then lights and a car in the night, the girls are convinced Jodie is overreacting and are determined to get on with their weekend, but when two men arrive and start talking and get inside the barn things turn horribly bad. When the tow truck driver Matt shows up at the right time Jodie pulls him in on the danger unwillingly her guilt is running high.
This story moves fast and had me on the edge of my seat what a thriller, I felt so much for Jodie what she had already been through in the past was enough but to have to go through it again but the anger bought so much strength out in her. This is a must read story, one that I highly recommend you will not want to put it down till the end and see how things work out for Jodie, Hannah, Louise, Corrine and Matt. Thank you Jaye Ford for a fabulous read, I loved it.
January 23, 2012
BEYOND FEAR is journalist Jaye Ford's first book, billed as an adrenaline-pumped suspense thriller. Which, if you're reading it with that aim in mind it absolutely is. The book starts out with one of those scenes that just make you know something bad's going to happen. Something very bad. Four thirty-something women are heading off for a regular girls' weekend away, champagne in hand, towards a remote, recently renovated barn deep in isolated country Australia. Jodie, the main character of the book, is a woman with a secret from her best friends. So, when these woman are run off the road in the middle of nowhere by a mysterious ute, have to deal with a taxi that doesn't get to them, a tow truck driver with a past of his own and an encounter with a bloke already suspected of killing a young girl in the local pub, there could very well be more than a bit of doubt as they head off to their isolated holiday destination.
Part of the reason that the alarm sirens in the back of the brain weren't deafening at this point is possibly that none of the other women have quite the same sense of fear and worry that Jodie does. Okay in itself that got a bit odd, but Jodie is also the only person who has the encounter with our creepy bloke in the pub, Jodie is the one mostly talking to the tow-truck driver who seems to know a lot about what's going on, Jodie is the woman with the background. It's possible, unlikely granted, but possible that she may be overreacting...
Of course that's not going to be the case, and things in the isolated barn get rapidly worse and worse once our creep from the pub, Kane and his weirdo brother show up - taking the girls captive, bashing, terrorising, shooting and generally causing a lot of mayhem all, it seems, in pursuit of something from the past.
So at this point, the plot's starting to wobble badly. Having said that, the pace remains breakneck, and to be frank, it's written as quite a page turner. Which made the reading experience just a little bit odd. It could undoubtedly be a scary book, although somewhere around the middle of the thing, everything that could happen, seemed to have happened - well apart from the ultimate question of who would "win" Jodie and friends, or the bad guys. Everyone had stepped into their allotted roles and played out their main pieces to camera, Jodie was the brave heroine fighting her past demons, aware of the threat. Her friends all took their role of doubting Thomas, some even taking on walking wounded to make Jodie's life just that little more complicated. Our tow truck driver went from possible threat to white knight, and the two bad guys were ... inconceivably and oddly bad. Violent, extreme, uncontrolled and yet, somehow, what could have happened to four women in this position never quite got way too bad. Having said that, there were four of them, two bad guys and a lot of cooking with frying pans.... there was something in the back of my brain that kept saying, okay girls, let's look at the odds here....
In BEYOND FEAR's defence, the tension didn't waver, and if you ignored the flashing neon warning signs about plot points, it was, on the surface a reasonable thriller, although it did rely a little too heavily on the madder than mad, big bad lunatic for the threat which is most definitely not a personal favourite. Perhaps another one of those thrillers which is just the thing for people who want something fast-paced, where the good people win regardless of how much they are doubted, how the mad and bad get their just desserts, even if it is in the nick of time and after rather a lot of rushing around and bleeding on all sides. It may even appeal particularly to those who are comfortable with the idea that the isolation of rural existence means that there's just got to be a lot of nasty weirdos lurking behind the nearest gum tree.
Part of the reason that the alarm sirens in the back of the brain weren't deafening at this point is possibly that none of the other women have quite the same sense of fear and worry that Jodie does. Okay in itself that got a bit odd, but Jodie is also the only person who has the encounter with our creepy bloke in the pub, Jodie is the one mostly talking to the tow-truck driver who seems to know a lot about what's going on, Jodie is the woman with the background. It's possible, unlikely granted, but possible that she may be overreacting...
Of course that's not going to be the case, and things in the isolated barn get rapidly worse and worse once our creep from the pub, Kane and his weirdo brother show up - taking the girls captive, bashing, terrorising, shooting and generally causing a lot of mayhem all, it seems, in pursuit of something from the past.
So at this point, the plot's starting to wobble badly. Having said that, the pace remains breakneck, and to be frank, it's written as quite a page turner. Which made the reading experience just a little bit odd. It could undoubtedly be a scary book, although somewhere around the middle of the thing, everything that could happen, seemed to have happened - well apart from the ultimate question of who would "win" Jodie and friends, or the bad guys. Everyone had stepped into their allotted roles and played out their main pieces to camera, Jodie was the brave heroine fighting her past demons, aware of the threat. Her friends all took their role of doubting Thomas, some even taking on walking wounded to make Jodie's life just that little more complicated. Our tow truck driver went from possible threat to white knight, and the two bad guys were ... inconceivably and oddly bad. Violent, extreme, uncontrolled and yet, somehow, what could have happened to four women in this position never quite got way too bad. Having said that, there were four of them, two bad guys and a lot of cooking with frying pans.... there was something in the back of my brain that kept saying, okay girls, let's look at the odds here....
In BEYOND FEAR's defence, the tension didn't waver, and if you ignored the flashing neon warning signs about plot points, it was, on the surface a reasonable thriller, although it did rely a little too heavily on the madder than mad, big bad lunatic for the threat which is most definitely not a personal favourite. Perhaps another one of those thrillers which is just the thing for people who want something fast-paced, where the good people win regardless of how much they are doubted, how the mad and bad get their just desserts, even if it is in the nick of time and after rather a lot of rushing around and bleeding on all sides. It may even appeal particularly to those who are comfortable with the idea that the isolation of rural existence means that there's just got to be a lot of nasty weirdos lurking behind the nearest gum tree.
May 3, 2020
Review for 'Beyond Fear' by Jaye Ford
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Members Titles and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
This is the first book that I have read by this author. I would be interested in reading more of her books.
This book gets into the action quite quickly and is like a roller-coaster that slowly builds up with tension and suspense before it rockets towards the action packed ending.
THE characters were all well developed and well rounded although Corinne annoyed me a few times with her bratittude. However, there's always got to be one or the characters would all be too likeable. Although she annoyed me I did find she came through towards the end. I found myself flying towards the end of the book in the hope they all survived, especially Matt.
THE book itself was well written with plenty of descriptions to keep me dragged 'in' the book and I felt I was in the barn with them while my pulse was racing.
THE cover is very appealing, works well with the storyline and was one of the things that attracted to me when I chose to read and review this book.
I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers, suspense, crime and action.
384 pages
£4.02 to purchase on kindle. I think this is a good price for this book.
Rated 4/5 ( I enjoyed it) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon.Com and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads for more reviews
#BeyondFear #JayeFord #IBPA #MembersTitles #NetGalley #BookReview
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Members Titles and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
This is the first book that I have read by this author. I would be interested in reading more of her books.
This book gets into the action quite quickly and is like a roller-coaster that slowly builds up with tension and suspense before it rockets towards the action packed ending.
THE characters were all well developed and well rounded although Corinne annoyed me a few times with her bratittude. However, there's always got to be one or the characters would all be too likeable. Although she annoyed me I did find she came through towards the end. I found myself flying towards the end of the book in the hope they all survived, especially Matt.
THE book itself was well written with plenty of descriptions to keep me dragged 'in' the book and I felt I was in the barn with them while my pulse was racing.
THE cover is very appealing, works well with the storyline and was one of the things that attracted to me when I chose to read and review this book.
I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers, suspense, crime and action.
384 pages
£4.02 to purchase on kindle. I think this is a good price for this book.
Rated 4/5 ( I enjoyed it) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon.Com and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads for more reviews
#BeyondFear #JayeFord #IBPA #MembersTitles #NetGalley #BookReview
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
September 12, 2013
This was an unexpected positive find from the Romance Writer’s Australia conference- Jaye did a workshop (on writing action, which I attended), and of course this book and Scared Yet, her second were available and I bought them both. If you aren’t a romance reader don’t be put off – this isn’t a romance! (Okay, for those who like a romance there is a subplot one, but it definitely isn’t the main driver of the book).
This is tense! Ford builds up the tension so artfully I thought I was on the verge of needing a valium. Four female friends go away for a weekend. I have three girlfriends and we occasionally do this – I was very pleased I wasn’t reading this on one such weekend! It goes from bad to worse (I could believe she got to the end of each chapter and thought ‘ah what can I have happen now…’). And then gets worse. Just when you think you can’t bear it any longer you get a change POV…and then the tension builds because we know what he’s about to end up in the middle of.
This isn’t a plot of twists but it is a great one for tension and action. Try to read in one hit or you won’t sleep!
This is tense! Ford builds up the tension so artfully I thought I was on the verge of needing a valium. Four female friends go away for a weekend. I have three girlfriends and we occasionally do this – I was very pleased I wasn’t reading this on one such weekend! It goes from bad to worse (I could believe she got to the end of each chapter and thought ‘ah what can I have happen now…’). And then gets worse. Just when you think you can’t bear it any longer you get a change POV…and then the tension builds because we know what he’s about to end up in the middle of.
This isn’t a plot of twists but it is a great one for tension and action. Try to read in one hit or you won’t sleep!
May 5, 2016
Beyond Fear es el tipo de lectura que devoras y no te deja dormir en las noches. Te genera pesadillas, te da otra razón más para no dudar de tu paranoia y te recuerda que nunca nunca se te ocurra irte a una cabaña en medio del bosque y sin cobertura de red.
Jaye Ford ha sabido crear una historia macabra y terriblemente explícita. Creo que nunca había leído algo tan real y ¿sangriento?. Y a pesar de que ha sido una muy buena primera vez, siento que la mejor parte del libro ocurre al inicio, cuando tanto suspenso te vuelve loca y estas esperando el golpe inicial. Después el libro decae un poco y tanta descripción era imposible de imaginar.
Mark y Jodie me han gustado mucho. Ojala pudiera leerlos un poquito más.. Pero se que esto es un thriller y no un romance.
Ah eso si, aleluya por estas mujeres fuertes, que yo sabía que no estaban extintas en los libros ejj!
3,5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews